Google bows behavioral targeting as a two-way street

They're calling it "interest-based targeting" rather than behavioral, but Google's finally allowing advertisers to target users based on what they've been surfing on the Web. With a twist. The company is handing over both tools and power to consumers who can find out why they're being served the ads they see, and also opt-out of the targeting by segment (if not entirely).

The program's still in beta (and beta at Google can last a long, long time). But once publishers get on board, consumers will have the option of viewing the categories they've been placed in: expectant mother, say, or travel. While they have the option of opting out of the program entirely, they can also opt out on a bucket-by-bucket basis, which may provide incentive for them to stick with the overall program.

With the FTC becoming more and more serious about industry
self-regulation in the overlapping arenas of online privacy and
behavioral targeting, Google seems to be doing the right thing at the
right time. It's just plain hard to argue or find fault with a program
that levels the playing field between advertiser and advertisee,
particularly at a point in time at which the Feds have issued a stern
mandate to the industry to disclose their practices and inform
consumers.

Behavioral targeting has so far been pretty much an all or nothing game. The major players in teh field allow consumers to opt-out of their programs entirely, but not piece by piece. If successful, the technology behind this new product could have other valuable applications - in the personalization arena for example. Who hasn't bought a one-off gift on Amazon six years ago, only to be targeted by more merchandise in that particular category in perpetuity? Yes Amazon, too, allows its users to opt-out on the individual level, too. Enabling that functionality in advertising is a great leap forward.

Comments (1)

Daniel

I agree that "It's just plain hard to argue or find fault with a program
that levels the playing field between advertiser and advertisee..." I've always viewed ideal advertising as a public service, providing the individual only with information about goods that they need or want (right now it's mostly just obnoxious most of the time). So I think this step by Google could be a revolutionary step towards that goal.

It’s important to remember that when you see
interest-based ads by Google, they’re not based on any information
stored in your Google account, such as you email or any visits to
sensitive sites, such as medical information. (http://www.newsy.com/videos/google_ad_change_raises_questions/)

In light of that, I don't see how anyone can make a case that this new step is invasive of the user's privacy.

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